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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
in 2011 witii funding from 
Tine Library of Congress 



http://www.arGhive.org/details/wooingofgrandmot01wood 




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Wooing of Grandmother4jrey 



BY 



KATE TANNATT WOODS 



lllcai)tFated 



BOSTON 
LEE AND SHE PARI) PUBLISHERS 

N K W YORK 

CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM 

1890 



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Copyright, 1S89 
By lee and SHEPARD 



The Wooing of Grandmother Grey 



PRESS or 



KcicktatU anU (Cf)urrf)iU 

BOSTON 







THE WOOING OF GRANDMOTHER GREY 



It was Christmas Eve, and the stockings hung 

In varied hues before the fire. 

And grandmother's Ivettle swung and sung. 

As tlte sparlvs flew higii and tlie smoke rose liiglier. 



"I was thinkin", Jabez," said Grandmother Grey, 
" How it all was so long ago, 
When you lived with your father miles away, 
And the ground was covered with heaps of snow. 





















" Then Christmas was very different, you know 
I was young, and fair to see, 
And, Jabez, you didn't mind rain or snow 
When you came a-courtin' me. 



11 



''One night, kiud sakes, I remember it well, — 
It was on a Christmas Eve, — 
You said '3-011 liad a story to tell,' 
And I thought it make believe. 



" You took from your pocket this little ring, 
It was larger then a sight, 
And you tried it on my finger, you know ; 
Sliall I ever forget that night? 



" Oh, I was proud as a girl could be ; 

I had never a ring before. 

And I wanted to cry and I wanted to laugh. 

When Grausir opened the door. 



13 





" I sot up straight as straight could he, 
And pretended I'd dropped a stitch 
In the okl Ijlue stockiu' that hiid on my knee, 
And you gave your chair a hitch. 



" Gransir he coughed a little, you know, 
And my cheeks was red as fire, 
And he said, as nat'ral as nat"ral could be, 
'You hain't seen nothin" of Miah?' 



17 



" And 3-011 said ' No ; ' but still I blushed, 
And I 'most blowed out his light, — 
A candle he held in his dear old hand ; 
Oh, I shan't forget that night ! 




19 



•'He went down cellar to fill Ids luuo-. 
All striped with yellow and blue, 
And I said, to cover my blushes up, 
' Hold on ; I'll go down too ! ' 




'•We filled the mug with cider old. 
And my apron with apples red, 
For you and I to eat upstairs. 
When the old folks went to bed. 



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Well, the old folks went ; and you and I 

tlieie by the open fire, 
id I wanted to sorter laugh and cry 
When ^ou lutdied your chair up nigher. 



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"We ate our apples and popped our corn, "~~^--s«;»5 

And talked of the singin'-school, ,:5^»^ 

And I hardly knew a Avord I said, - ^:^-'^r 

And acted just like a fool. 

23 



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"And then when yoii kindly tuinv 

To see if the ring was right. 

You kissed it, Jabez, — you know j^ou did: 

Ah, I can't forget that night I 



" I trembled so, and my heart it thumped 
Like it wanted to get away, 
And you looked in my eyes so kind and nice, 
And said, 'Would I name the day?' 




4 



*•' Like a goose I said, "It is Cliristmas Eve, 
And it kind of feels like snow ; 
Von mnst -wrap yonr tippet np warm and tiglit 
P>efore yon have to go.' 



" ' I know it is Christmas Eve,' says you, 
As prond as prond eoidd l)e ; 
' But ril stay here, liovvever you Inn.t, 
Till you promise to marry me.' 



29 





/| " I was scared worse than ever, but up I spoke : 
I 'I wish I'd a present for you,' 
I And you was so pert I thought I would choke ; 
I You said, 'I must give you two.' 



I '"And one,' — -oh, you had such a masterful way,— | 
I ' One was a kiss,' you said, %. 

1 ' And the other, to name our weddin' day, |; 

I Then you would go home to bed.' f 



31 



" It was awful tryin', — you see I was shy ; 
I could kiss my old dad, and the boys, 
But you, I couldn't no ways in the world ; 
Besides, it might make a noise. 

" My little heart fluttered and danced up and down, 
Like a puddin" in mother's old pot, 
And my hands trembled awful, I couldn't look up. 
And my cheeks was just blazin' lior. 

" ' Well,' says you, ' Jerusha, if that is your way, 
I'll take what you'll not give ; ' 
And you kissed me over and over again ; 
You did, as sure as you live. 

" It is years ago, and this old ring is worn ; 
Of trouble, Ave've seen a sight ; 
But, Jabez, somehow I'm always young 
When I sit and think of that niglit. 

33 



" It is kind ill the children to give us this room, 
With a few of our dear ohl things, 
And the open fire, and the andirons too, 
And the kettle, that always sings. 




" I wanted their stockin's all hung up here ; 
Their ])resents, so rich and fine. 
Won't gladden their little hearts as nmcli 
As this old ring gladdened mine. 



33 







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" We will hear their shouts in the early morn, 
Long, long before it is light ; 
But, Jabez, we must not mind, you know: 
We will both remember that nio-ht." 



37 



New Year's morning came, and Grandmother Grey 
Was silent, and pale, and cold; 
Jnst as the old year faded away, 
The years of her life were told. 




Tlie children were there, with tears in their eyes ; 
The parents were whispering low, 
"INIay our hearts be as young and pure as hers, 
When we are called to p-o." 



On one wrinkled hand was the old, old rino-. 
Thin, worn, and dull to the sight ; 
On the wrinkled face was a smile of peace : 
She began a New Year tliat night. 

39 




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